First Day Blues
by ClaireBear1982
Summary: It's Emmeline Vance's first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.


A/N: Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. Round 5. Prompts used 'Gallop,' 'Pristine,' 'Sealed.'

Character: Emmeline Vance. Scenario: First day at Hogwarts.

Emmeline Vance came to her senses with a start. She wasn't sure what it was that had woken her, but now she was awake she felt very disorientated.

She didn't recognise the deep blue hangings around her bed. Where was she? Emmeline concentrated hard whilst watching the tiny particles of dust move and swirl in the shaft of sunlight filtering through the left side of the curtains.

Then it hit her, she was at Hogwarts! This was the first year dormitory of Ravenclaw tower. Emmeline smiled to herself, she was finally at Hogwarts and she was going to learn how to be a witch. Ever since the school liaison had come to her home to explain who and what she was, she'd been excited, excited yet, very surprised.

She slipped from her bed and padded quietly to the bathroom. Upon her return she saw her new uniform laid neatly at the end of her bed, again she smiled as she dressed, that is until it came to doing her tie. This was the point when her heart sank. Emmeline had never been taught how to do a tie, her father had hastily done her black Hogwarts tie for her the day before.

She thought of her parents then. Sadness filled her. Ever since they'd found out she was a witch, her parents had become very distant and disapproving. They'd always put the strange occurrences that happened around her down to her being naughty. But now as it turned out, it had nothing to do with her being naughty, it was due to the fact she was special.

Emmeline, by this point was feeling melancholy and sat down heavily on her bed, one arm snaked around the post her head leant against it. She thought back to the previous day when they'd seen her off of the platform, they'd been cold and distant, they'd not given her any last words of encouragement like so many of the other parents had done. Emmeline started to silently cry.

"Hey Em, you okay?" asked a voice.

Emmeline started. She'd forgotten she was in a dormitory with other people.

"I'm... I'm fine," replied Emmeline brokenly.

"Come here," said Francesca Goulding.

Emmeline moved from her bed and sat next to the girl in the bed next to hers.

"Now, what are these tears all about?" asked Francesca quietly.

"I was thinking about my parents, and the way since we found out what I am, how distant they've been," sniffed Emmeline unhappily.

"Oh dear,"

Francesca hugged Emmeline.

"Thanks Fran. Um, you wouldn't know how to tie up a tie, would you?" asked Emmeline shyly.

"Of course, watch."

Francesca did the tie up slowly so Emmeline could watch what she was doing. She was intelligent enough to need to be only shown only once.

"Now give me a few minutes and we'll go down to breakfast together,."

Francesca swished off to the bathroom.

Emmeline marveled at how wise and grown up Francesca seemed to be, What was the saying? 'Wise beyond her years.'

Finally they were ready to go down to breakfast. Emmeline looked all about her, she'd been so tired last night that she'd hardly noticed the common room. But now she was in awe. She'd never seen such a pretty room in all her life.

"Oh this is lovely, isn't it?" said Emmeline breathlessly.

"It is, but not as pretty as my bedroom," smiled Francesca.

"Really?" asked Emmeline.

"Oh yes, it's similar in colour but then my whole family has been in Ravenclaw for years, but I guess you could say my room is more girly."

"Your whole family?" gasped Emmeline.

"Yes, I'm what they call Pureblood."

"Oh, oh okay," said Emmeline in confusion.

"You're what we call a Muggleborn, you have non magical parents," said Francesca noting

Emmeline's confused look added,. "There will be some students who will not like you because you are a Muggleborn, they come from very old Pureblood families and have a certain mania for keeping everything within all Pureblood families."

"I see," whispered Emmeline.

"But don't worry too much, you can rise above and be better than them," said Francesca positively.

Right at that moment Emmeline was grateful to have a friend like Francesca on her side and to explain everything she didn't know.

On the way down to the Great Hall, Emmeline stepped into the trick stair and sank.

"Oh my gosh, Fran, I'm stuck! Help me!" whimpered Emmeline.

Francesca jumped the trick step and grabbed Emmeline by the knee and pulled her free.

"Thanks Fran."

"Come on, kiddo," smiled Francesca.

Francesca took Emmeline by the hand and chatted in a reassuring way all the way to the Great Hall.

Once breakfast was done Professor McGonagall came around and handed out the first year timetables.

"Oooh, look! We have Herbology with the Hufflepuff's in greenhouse 2," exclaimed Francesca happily.

Emmeline looked wary. She had read her pristine Herbology textbook cover to cover, and some of what she seen between its pages had frightened her senseless.

"Fran, I don't feel so good," said Emmeline suddenly.

"Hey, it's okay, it's natural to be nervous, come on you'll be with me, you'll be fine."

On the way out of the Great Hall, Emmeline bumped into a Gryffindor with dark red hair.

"Oh my God! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, nothing broken," smiled the red head.

"Are you alright though? You look a little pale."

"Nervous," smiled Emmeline wanly.

"I'm Lily, Lily Evans and this is Marlene McKinnon," said Lily indicating to the blonde on her left.

"Hi, I'm Emmeline Vance and this is Francesca Goulding."

"Pleasured, we better go, we've got potions," explained Marlene.

"C'ya."

"Bye."

Emmeline was then nearly knocked to the floor by a group of boys.

"Oi, Potter, Black! Watch where you're going you bloody pair of male apes!" yelled Francesca.

"Sorry Goulding, didn't see you there," remarked a cheeky looking boy with scruffy black hair and circular glasses.

"James Potter you bloody great berk! Open your eyes and look in future. Same goes for you, Sirius."

"Yes mother," said Sirius cheekily.

"Sorry about my friends," said a sandy haired scruffy looking boy. "I hope they didn't hurt you."

"No, I'm okay," said Emmeline picking up her bag.

"I'm Remus by the way."

"Emmeline and this is Francesca."

"Well it was nice meeting you both."

Somewhere over head a bell began to ring.

"Oh blimey, we're going to be late," exclaimed Fran.

She grabbed Emmeline by the hand and practically dragged her out of the castle into the grounds. Emmeline felt like she was galloping to keep up.

By lunchtime Emmeline was not in the best of spirits. Herbology had been a disaster, she'd upset a whole tray of bouncing bulbs which had ricocheted all around the greenhouse. Next in Potions she'd managed to catch the sleeve of her robes on the fire beneath her cauldron and nearly burnt her arm, if it hadn't been for Susan Bennett she'd have been in the hospital wing. Charms had been a little better, as it had only been note taking. By now she was feeling thoroughly depressed.

"Hey come on love, it's okay," said Francesca as she rubbed soothing circles of Emmeline's back.

Emmeline smiled weakly and played with her food, pushing it around and around her plate.

"You need to eat something, we have Defence this afternoon," piped up Susan Bennett.

"Don't remind me!" groaned Emmeline.

"It'll be fine, now come on, eat up."

Finally bedtime arrived and Emmeline couldn't be more grateful. Defence had been okay, but she'd struggled somewhat with the homework they'd been set. She'd spent better part of the evening in the library with Fran and Susan, and now her head hurt and so did her eyes. Emmeline had found a moment to write to her parents, she sealing the envelope with a kiss when no one was looking. Susan had offered use of her owl. They'd all gone to the owlery before returning to Ravenclaw tower.

"Thank goodness today is over!" exclaimed Emmeline on a yawn once they were back in their dorm.

"It'll get better, you just need to give it time love."

But Emmeline hadn't heard her. She'd already collapsed and passed out. Francesca smiled. She tucked her friend into bed and pulled the hangings slightly to.

"Good night, sweet pea."


End file.
